Southern by Choice's Teaching Moments- Indoor LGD! Badger

[Latestarter]

Jeeze... all the boys from this litter came out top notch! D & Callie did real good! Mel doesn't bother about the chickens. He has climbed up the stairs and come in the coop with me a couple of times, but for the most part, he's content to just stay outside. He seems to have no interest in them at all, though he knows they're there. He patrols out around the coops up to the fence, and he's chased off/seen a fox back there. I see the tracks in the snow on the other side of the fence along side the run. The fox can't get in.

These dogs are like extreme body builders... they've got no neck! I don't know how anyone keeps a collar on them... It's like a solid trunk from the shoulders all the way to the back of the head, getting a bit smaller as it gets there.

It's funny really, I'm not as limber as I once was, but he wants me to get down on the floor with him and hug on him, and when he's had enough, or feels claustrophobic, he puts the 4 paws together and pushes, and I swear he could move a truck! He's really a big love bug. He likes his attention. I'll have to see If I can get DD over this coming weekend to take some cameos...

 

[Mike CHS]

The picture with Leo and the Aussie really gives me some perspective. Our Aussie is just over 50 pounds so she is almost exactly the same size.

 

[Southern by choice]

NO NECK!

I know! It is impossible to keep a collar on them! They just take it off each other. We found giant harnesses that fit so if we need to take them anywhere we have to use the harness...

Callie is a brat and I know this is where they get it from... She hates a rabies tag on her collar and for the life of me I don't know how she does it but she CHEWS her rabies tag off... there is just a little piece still on the ring! Tiggs (Toli male) did the same thing.

We will rivet the tags on when they get their 3 year.

Mel looks very powerful! I love how they are all getting their muscling in. When they move you can see the definition and the power behind those body's.

The 4 leg push nooooo that has never happened here...
Right... brats all do it! EVERY dog not just the pups... it is a big no no

Some cameo shots would be cool!

 

[Latestarter]

He's only done the 4 leg push a couple of times... most of the time he's like a slinky, as you described his mom, and he'll roll his upper body the opposite direction of his lower body then spin his head and flea chew his butt or something... They're really made of cooked spaghetti, not muscle, bone and cartilage... that is until they hit you... then it's all solid bone. They're transformers I tell ya! Oh yes... he's a LOT of controlled power. He's very strong and getting very big/solid. Filling out nicely.

 

[Southern by choice]

@Latestarter when I look at his baby pics (I mean puppy pics) he always had the big wide jowls even as a baby... He really has a nice broad head and those jowls! Wow. Isn't it odd how slinky like they can be... sometimes I think they really are the master contortionists!
Blue and Silver seem to be the most "slinky" and Blue seems like he has no pyr in him at all. LOL Pete and Not Leo are more pyr bodied with short hair- they don't slink really.

They have gotten very agile... if a goat cuts in front of them when they are running they will just fly over them. Ruby and Mariah are big goats and it is always amazing how in a hundredth of a second they can leap over them so they don't crash into them.

Pete does get a bit jealous when we are loving on goats and he wants attention... he kind of just started this. So I push him back and tell him no, I am saying hi to the goats you wait.

I have loved this litter and it was worth the 3 yr wait. I just wish I could do another. I love their temperaments, structure, and intelligence. They seem to have a lot of "Toli"... they all have that kind of aloofness that says I might love you but I don't need you. Pyrs are much more affectionate and pushy about lovin'. They also get their feelings hurt so easily these guys are like Toli's- "whatever- you'll get over it" and the um no... you can come to me I'm good and don't feel like getting up.

They are way more stubborn than any of my pyrs.
The big thing they got from the pyr daddy side is jealousy gene, and their confidence, well maybe their arrogance too.

Down side is they really do not like anything in their goats field... so they have pushed all the chickens to the back where the trees are and if the chickens come through the wire they drive them right back.

 

[Latestarter]

Well, you said you wanted to make them (chickens) freezer dog food... Time to break out the pellet gun and start freezing them.

 

[Southern by choice]

You know we spend a lot of time with our goats and dogs... all of us... I will say it is tough on the children when the pups go to their new homes,(Of course it is tough on me too) but we do enjoy them so much.

Today 3 of the kids and I were out just loving on them... and the goats of course... but the dogs well they just melt your heart. I often wonder what it looks like to all the cars that drive by when they see us with our arms wrapped around them giving bear hugs, scratching bellies and giving kisses.

They have matured well and I couldn't ask for a better group of dogs.

Blue is a powerhouse and when he moves you see his muscling. He is so much like his momma. He always looks like he isn't doing much but he knows everything going on around him. EVERYTHING.
We got more spools in today - another 5- dogs love the spools... they leap right up and then they stand there- makes it so much easier to love on a bunch at once.

Chunk is momma's boy and he an Blue are ridiculous over "who is mom's favorite".

Sometimes I just open the door of the house and hollar out to whoever I can see and can see me and tell them what great dogs they are. They never disappoint me, I know to trust them and they respond.

So exciting about kidding coming up!
It will be their first kidding!
What an exciting time it will be next month!

 

[BlessedWithGoats]

Aww!
I'm sure your dogs will do wonderfully with kidding! I wish you a Blessed kidding season, and healthy babies!!

Chunk is momma's boy and he an Blue are ridiculous over "who is mom's favorite".

LOL! Silly boys!

 

[Latestarter]

I've tried to get side by side pictures of Mel with Mystie, but he's so big compared to her, and she's old, and he plays so rough with her (play, not trying to dominate or hurt) that she is kind of afraid to be right next to him. So, here's a couple of cameos of Mel:

Here he's laying on the floor with my 6' 250# son:

And being the love bug he is, trying to get some quality time with yours truly:

This is an over-sized, over stuffed recliner and my primary relaxing place. He clears the arms standing beside it. He has tried to fit his whole body up on top of me, but is just too big to fit. He likes to bury that huge head of his under my arm while I give him neck and full body scratches with both hands.

Have had my son and family with their 4 kids since right after Xmas. He was a little standoffish at first, but now when he comes in the house, the first thing he does is search for the grand kids (oldest - 9, youngest ~18 mos) to give each a nuzzle and make sure they're OK. You can just see the head of hair from the youngest (G-daughter) in the lower right of the pic. She wanted to get over and help scratch the pup too!

Happy New year all!

 

[Beekissed]

That's one really big sweetie!!!! I love those pics!